VIDEO: San Diego County is going to be able to fight wildfires at any time of day.
“When the sun sets, we are dependent on outside area helicopters to come into San Diego County,” Chief Tony Mecham, Cal Fire & San Diego County Fire, said.
It’s all thanks to a new resource approved by the county board of supervisors.
“For the first time, the addition of this helicopter will provide 24-hour wildland firefighting coverage,” Mecham said.
It’s a new $38 million helicopter called a Sikorsky S-70 Firehawk that can do those vital water drops even when the sun’s not out.
“This allows us 24 hours of the day to have aircraft flying and hopefully keep them when they’re small,” Mecham said.
The aircraft can carry 1,000 gallons of water per drop, nearly triple the existing aircraft’s capacity, according to the County.
“It’s really an opportune time for us in the shadows, in the evening and the early morning hours, to get these aircraft up,” Mecham said.
KGTV ABC 10 San Diego